Lubina con Chorizo — Sea Bass with Chorizo

4 sea bass filets (8 ounces each)

Kosher salt, to taste

24 Prince Edward Island mussels

4 tablespoons olive oil

1¼ teaspoons garlic, chopped

1¼ teaspoons shallots, chopped

1 pound Mexican chorizo (casing removed)

2 cups salsa (see note)

2 cups chicken stock

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Season sea bass filet with salt.

Place the filets on a lightly greased sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. Keep warm.

Scrub and de-beard mussels under cold running water, discarding any broken or opened shells. Heat a sauté pan over moderate heat; add oil, shallots, garlic, and the chorizo. Stir the ingredients around and break up the chorizo, about 4 minutes.

Add the mussels and cook about 5 minutes until the shells start to open. Add the chicken stock then add the Guajillo salsa and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes add the butter and stir it in then add salt to taste.

Place the sea bass filet in the center of a warm shallow bowl, arrange the mussels point side down around the filet then pour the sauce over the mussels allowing the sauce to pool around the sea bass.

Serves four.

Cook's note: At Mago we use salsa made from dried guajillo peppers for this dish.

Chef Juan Luis Gonzales, Mago, Arlington Heights